Righteous Saint Joakim, son of Barpathir, was a
descendant of King David, to whom God had revealed that from the descendants of
his line would be born the Saviour of the world. Righteous Saint Anna
was the daughter of Matthan and through her father she was of the tribe of
Levi, and through her mother – of the tribe of Judah. The spouses lived at
Nazareth in Galilee. They were childless into their old age and all their life
they grieved over this. They had to endure derision and scorn, since at that
time childlessness was considered a disgrace. But they never grumbled and only
but fervently prayed to God, humbly trusting on His will. Once during the time
of a great feast, the gifts which Righteous Joakim took to Jerusalem for
offering to God were not accepted by the priest Ruben, who considered that a
childless man was not worthy to offer sacrifice to God. This pained the old man
very much, and he, regarding himself the most sinful of people, decided not to
return home, but to settle in solitude in a desolate place. His righteous
spouse Anna, having learned, what sort of humiliation her husband had endured,
in prayer and fasting began sorrowfully to pray to God for granting her a
child. In his desolate solitude and with fasting Righteous Joakim also besought
God for this. And the prayer of the saintly couple was heard: to both of them
an Angel announced, that there would be born of them a Daughter, Who would
bless all the race of mankind. By order of this Heavenly Messenger, Righteous
Joakim and Anna met at Jerusalem, where through the promise of God was born to
them the Daughter, named Mary.
Saint Joakim died a few years later
after the Entry into the Temple of his Blessed Daughter, at about age 80. Saint
Anna died at age 70, two years after him, spending the time in the Temple
alongside her Daughter.